thing is it to love God with all thine heart with all thy soul and with all thy strength but to refer all things to God and to his glory all our thoughts all our worde all our works all our purposes and all our intents To love God therefore above all things orderly is to refer to God and his glory our selves and all that is within and without us which we cannot well do if our thougts if our words if our works be not good and acceptable unto God To love God preciously is to love him so dearly and so much to esteem of him that for no cause thou wouldest lose him nor his love but wish rather to lose thy goods thy lands thy limbs thy life and the love of the World This indeed is to love God lovingly when without respect of profit we referr to God and his glory all that we have our hearts our hands our lips to praise and magnine him and to set forth the greatness of his Divine Majesty and omnipotency To love God then for the love of himself is to love God because he is good And he that loveth God in this sort shall be sure never to miscarry or perish To love thy Neighbour it is required that thou do it in God or for the love of God Now thou must understand that every Man is thy Neighbour when either thou to them or they to thee can shew mercy or relief by succour and help So that every reasonable creature is thy Neighbour wheresoever he dwell in the World Thus are the Saints in Heaven thy Neighbours by whose example thou art taught to live godly wherefore thou oughrest to love them and all mankind for the love of God or in God Thou oughtest to love thy Neighbour because he is good or because he should be good then thou lovest him indeed for the love of God every Man which is a Sinner thou oughtest to love not because he is a sinner but because he is a Man for the love of God Thou oughtest to love in the sinfull Man that which he hateth and to hate that which he loveth The sinfull Man loves sin and iniquity which thou oughtest to hate The sinfull Man hateth his Soul and the purity of Nature which thou oughtest to love For Sin is against nature it defileth Nature it oppresseth nature yea it quencheth nature and he that committeth sin killeth his own soul and corupteth nature Thou oughtest then to love the Soul and the Nature of the Sinner but not his sin And when thou givest Alms to a sinner being in need thou oughtest not to do it because he is a Man but because he is a man of the same nature that thou art Some be thy friends and some thy Enemies thy friends thou oughtest to love in God lest loving them otherwise thou shouldest offend God Thy Enemie thou oughtest to love for the Love of God and if he offend thee in word or deed and doth repent him and asketh thee forgiveness thou oughtest for the love of God to forgive him with all thy heart and to receive into friendship Again if thy Enemy be obstinate and will not cease to persecute thee although thou canst not presently forgive him yet thou oughtest not to hate him but rather to do him good and to be ready alwayes to pardon him and then chiefly when he shall raquire it Yea thou oughtest to do him what good thou canst in his need By that which we have spoken already it appeareth that thou oughtest to love all men living both good and bad friends and foes no worse then thy self Our Lord had an eye to the love of our Neighbour when he said in the 7 of Matthew All things that thou wouldest thy Neighbour should do unto thee do thou the like to him Whosoever then doth to his Neighbour as be would his Neighbour should do to him loveth his Neighbour as himself But this is to be understood according to God and reason For if one offering to pleasure thee bring thee a Wench to lye with thee or lend thee a sword to fight and to kill another as reason would instruct thee to refuse such offers so the love according to God should teach thee obedience and they both ought to be the rule of thy life and the lights to guide thee in the dark places Thus far have we declared in as much brevity as we could how a man ought to love God and his Neighbour Now intend we to shew the effects of love and Charity CAP. VI. The effects and praises of Love and Charity NO tongue in the World can tell for truth all the Excellency of the effects and praises of love or charity For first of all she makes men the Children of God and Heirs of Heaven according to that saying of Saint John behold what Love or Charity the Father hath shewed unto us to make us the Children of God S. Paul also saith That those which be lead by the Spirit of God are the Children of God For you have not received the spirit of bondage to fear any more but you have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father and that same Spirit which is the Spirit of Love or Charity beareth witness with our Spirit that we be the Children and Heirs of God and Coheirs with Christ Can we desire a thing more excellent than to be the children of God and Heirs of Heaven what dignity is that to boast of Such as have feeling of the love of God in their hearts have boldness courage though the world contemn them For this is certain that they whom the world hateth are not the children of the world but the children of God as contrariwise such as the world loveth they indeed are the children of the world Secondly Charity worketh the cause in us that God dwelleth in us who dwelleth in Charity saith S. John dwelleth in God and God in him Our Lord likewise saith If any Man love me he will keep my Commandements and my Father will come and dwell with him Can we desire a more rich a more bountifull or a more liveral Host than he Is it like that so loving an Host will suffer the soul to want Will he ask mony for his expences No he commeth not to dwell with us to consume that we have but to encrease our riches and to make our store greater Thirdly Charity maketh our goods be they little or be they much acceptable unto God it maketh a Man contemn the World it maketh a man to rejoyce in temptations and tribulations When Charity enters into the soul she knits us to God and uniteth us with him Love or Charity makes men of one mind and will Love or Charity makes men reform their manners and to draw near unto God Love or Charity makes men to consider of things present and visible as if they were not Love maketh a pure and clean heart which may contemplate and behold Heavenly things By
THE PRINCE AND ROOT OF ALL SINS For as a King accompanied with a great Train of Servitours even so hath Pride a sort of Sins for her Subjects over whom she Reigneth Prince like Again as Kings keep and hold their own right even so doth Pride behave her self toward the proud It is a singular sign of a great Reprobate and east-away when a Man liveth long in Pride For this sin displeaseth God more than all other Vices as humility pleaseth him more than all other vertues And because the proud advance themselves above all orver the Devill dealeth with them accordingly For as the Crow when he in not able to crack a hard Walnut with his Bill taketh his flight aloft right over a great stone and letting it fall breaketh the same and then alighteth to eat the kernell even so playeth the Tevill with the proud for first he advanceth them alost and bringeth them to promotion in this World but when they are in the top of their happiness and think upon no danger then even then comes the Devil and throwes them down head-long with a mischief into Hell The difference between the humble and the proud may be known by that of Corn and Chaffe For as Chaffe being light is puft up alost with the winde and is suddenly Consumed whereas contrariwise good Corn lying low is gashered from the ground laid up in Garners and esteemed of every body even so it falleth out with the pride of the proud and the Humility of the Humble Vnto Pride do appertain these Vices following namely Arrogancy Presumption Contempt Heresie Hypocrisie Disobedience Vain-glory Ambition and such like In the second Tower lodged Envy over whose Entry-dooâ—e this device was Written FIRE-BRAND OF HELL AND THE DEVILS DARLING Now Envy is a Sadnesse and Heavinesse of Heart for anothers Prosperity This Sin hath Saveraignty in the had as Charity in the good Charity is a Badge of Salvation Envy of Damnation The envyous Man differs not from the Devill in any Degree they are Partners in gain and in loss If the Devill reap profit by doing evill the envious Man will â—e sure to follow his trade for lucre sake And as the envious Man grudgeth at anothers profit and good name so doth he delight in anothers loss and ill Report Where cannot be a souler and more cruell Sin than Envy for she alwayes tormenteth and vexeth her Fosterer I mean the envious in whem she dwelleth He that seeketh to get good by others evill never amends in that minde And he that planteth his pleasure upon anothers pain shall have such fruit as he that grasts Figs on Thorns or would make Fire to burn by pouring Weser thereon Envy is a disease hard to be healed because it lyeth hidden in the heart where the Phystrian cannot come to cure it There belongs unto this Vice Hatred Malice Slander Disdain Treachery and the like In the third Lower dwelt Wrath over whose Porch this Posey was written THE VERY MURTHERER OF HOLY LOVE For as holy Love prepares the Conscience to dwell with God so doth Wrath prepare it to dwell with the Devill Wrath taketh away the hearing of Reason The Wrathfull Man will hear the Counsell of none There is nothing Resembles the Image of God more than Man being in perfect Love For God will be there where Vnity is kept where People be at peace and where Countreys be quiet which cannot be in Wrathfull Wretches A Wrathfull Man is like unto one possessed with a Devill who is ever tormented untill he hath vomited him out Wrath maketh Men fight Wrath causeth Blasphemy by Wrath the Devil conquereth Countreys Wrath is like a muzled Dog For when he cannot bite yet with snarling he makes others go together by the ears And as the Fisher-man troubleth the Water because the Fish should not see his Nets even so the Devil by Wrath troubleth Man to the end he should not understand nor perceive his own destruction To the wrathfull Man belongs inflaming of the heart Indignation Disorder Blasphemy Contention Rancour Revengement Murther and such like In the Fourth Tower dwelt Covetousness whose Posey is this IDOLATRY AND A BOTTOMLESSE GULFE ARE INSATIABLE The covetous man is forsaken of God for he loves his gain better than God he had rather lose God than Goods For little trifles that touch his profit he swears and lies which is a thing most damnable The Faith and Hope and Charity which he should have towards God Covetousness turnes it to Riches The covetous Mans heart is all upon his Goods and not upon God for where the heart is there is also a Mans love The covetous Man offendeth in evil getting in evill using and in evill loving his goods The Covetous Man is governed by the Devill hazarding his Soul to eternall torment for the lewd Love of Temporall toyes And as the Mouse is caught in the Trap whiles she hopeth to get the Bait even so is the covetous Man by the Devil in hunting after Riches The covetous Man is like unto a Hog whose life doth little good to any Man but rather great harm by reason of the noysomness and filthy stink which that nasty Beast procureth but when the Butcher hath killed him then he yields profit because it nourisheth c. Even so the covetous Man whiles he liveth doth good to none but rather damnifies his Neighbours but when Gods slaughter-man Death I mean comes and destroyeth him then those that live fare the vetter The Covetous man is like a Band dog that seedeth upon Carrion and will admit no companion to take part with him but eating all alone and filling his guts till he burst he dyeth and the Fewles of the Air devour him The covetous man hordeth his goods and suffereth the needy to starve The covetous Man croweth over the poor the Devil croweth over him And upon covetousuess attend these Monsters Usury Simony Fraud Perjury and all Sacriledge Deceipt Extortion Oppression and the Devil In the fifth Tower dwelt Gluttony over whose Portall this Posey was Written VENOMOUS WINE AND DEADLY DAINTIES Truth it is that the throat is the gate of the Body you know that when an Enemy would winne a Castle if once he get in at the Gate he makes no doubt of winning the held even so the Devil when he hath entred in at the Throat it is no question but he would winn both the heart and body Now his custome is to enter with many Sins of which Cluttony is the Mother For the Drunkard and Immoderate Feeder consenteth to all Vice Therefore it is renuiste to set a good Porter to keep the Throat lest the Devil get in For as a Man may lead a Horse when he hath him by the Bridle even so may the Devil rule a Man having once gotten hold of his mouth by Gluttony yea he then possesseth himself 〈◊〉 The servant being Corn-sed oftentimes rebelleth against his Master even so the Body having received excess and more than enough is apt
love the Goods of this World are well ordered and by Love the Goods of this World are contemned and by Love the secrets of God are revealed Saint John saith That God is Love or Charity whereby no doubt he meaneth the Father the Son and the holy Ghost the three persons in Trinity God the Father is Charity God the Son is Charity and God the holy Ghost is charity This Love or Charity requireth in the same such likely things namely love and charity by the which as by some spiritual affinity thou art joyned unto God which Love also boldly commeth unto God and familiarly speaketh unto him without any doubt or fear He that loveth not shall lose his Life but He that loveth alwayes lifteth his eyes to God whom be loveth whom he desireth on whom he museth in whom he is refreshed and by whom he is preserved such a debour and religious soul doth so sing so say read so dispose all his business and so circumspectly foreseeth all things as if God were ever present with Him as doubtless in spirit he is The man in whose soul the love of God is lodged so prayeth as if God were personally present with Him The Love of Charity awaketh the soul when she is asleep it puts him in mind of His Salvation it softneth and moysteneth the Heart Charity or Love setteth the cold Heart on fire Love maketh the froward soul gentle Love chaseth away sin Love keepeth the affections of the flesh and blood under Love amendeth Iewd Mens manners Love reneweth the Spirit Love bridleth the light motions of wanton youth all this worketh Love or Charity where she is present Contrariwise where Love or Charity is absent there the Soul doth Languish and waxeth cold even as a Caldron of water doth when the fire is taken from under it and raked abroad Charity is the only thing whereby the soul boldly approacheth unto End constantly cleaveth unto him and familiarly speaketh unto him The Soul that loveth God cannot but think and talk of God insomuch that it hateth all ungodly things Who so will know God must love God the more that one loves God the more be growes in the knowledge of God To read to write and to study of God yieldeth no true knowledge of God without Love In vian do we read in Vain do we talli in Vain do we preach in Vain do we pray to God if we do not love God the love of God ingendreth the love of thine own Soul and maketh it attentive alwayes to God God loves to be loved again and when he loveth he requireth nothing but love happy therefore is he that loveth God The Soul which loveth God rejecteth his own effections being earnestly given to Gods love The Soul that loveth hath no fear the soul that loveth not is ever in fear The Soul that loveth is carryed by promises and drawn by desires unto Heaven the soul that hath in it the presence of Gods love is tickled with joy and with ravishing leapeth up to Heaven having by coutemplation exceeding great joyfulness Love breeds familiarity with God familiarity breeds boldness with God boldness breeds the taste of God and Taste breedeth an hunger after God If I should declare all the excellency of Love or Charity the time would fail me and mine Ability in that behalfe would not suffice But let this stand for a conclusion that the Soul which is touched with the love of God cannot desire any thing contrary to God but ever after it hath received any taste of Sin it cryeth out and saith with the Prophet Psal 14. O Lord God like as the Hart desireth the Fountains of water even so long I after thee Well then Sir Knight lift up thy Soul and remember the great Love and Charity of God and his manisold benefits bestowed upon thee that by them thy Heart being enlightned thou maist encrease and go â—orâ— and day by day in doing good works to the glorifying of God 〈◊〉 delighteth in the same according as it is said Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorisie God in Heaven Thus much touching these three spiritual Vertues now come we to the four morall Vertues CAP. VII The description of the four moral Vertues Prudence Justice Fortitude and Temperance By these sour Marral Vertues Man liveth orderly in this martalise Saint Hierom saith that the Christian man by these 〈◊〉 liveth well in this mortality and by them after death cometh to everlasting Life Prudence knoweth the good we should do and evil we should leave Justice doth good Temperance leaveth the evill Fortitude is constant without losing courage in adversity or waring proud in prosperity Prudence teacheth man how to approach unto God Fortitude and Temperance how to govern himself Justice how to use his Neighbour These are the four things which Satan shooteth at to destroy the Soul By Prudence which is the rule of right Reason we govern our selves wisely we order our affairs discreetly doing nothing but Right and reason In Prudence consisteth Reason Knowledge Fore-sight Aptness to give good Counsell Plato saith That Prudence is the Governess of all Moral Vertues shewing how we should understand and use the rest For as Faith informeth us what we should hope after and what we ought to love even so Prudence teacheth us how we should use Justice Fortitude and Temperance Aristotle saith that it is impossible but a prudant Man should be good If he mean moral goodness it is most true for a wise Man doth nothing but that which is lawfull But yet without Love or Charity Prudence is a Vertue no more meritorious then Faith without Love and Charity But if the prudent man love God with all his heart it is unpossible but that he should do good and consequently be good Justice is a Vertue used in two sorts sometimes it is a general Vertue and comprehends in her self all Vertue as the man that Ilbeth well and justiy is therefore called good and Iustice otherwise is understood a particular Vertue called Justice distributive yeelding to every one that which unto him belongeth This Vertue Justice distributive is convenient for all men and principally for Emperours Kings and such as have the Administration and Governments of Common-wealths to the end that they may yeeld to every one their right defending the innocent and punishing the offender doing justice and right according to equity as well to little as great and to poor as rich Many have justice painted in their Houses and yet have wrongfull dealing lodged in their hearts Many a one hath Christ in their mouth but the Devil in their minde He that will be acceptable to GOD he must be just in word upright in deed undefiled in thought Fortitude is a vertue unto which belongs a magnisicent courage not fearing any thing but unlawful actions He that hath this vertue keeps himself constant in adversity and waxeth not proud in prosoerity Fortitude gives a man
all the Palace Lady Venus and her waiting maids tending upon me But every one departed after I was in Bed saving only Venus the Goddess of Love with whom I lay all night CAP. XII The Authour declareth how the wandring Knight and such like Voluptuous livers in this world transgress the ten Commandements of Almighty God underwritten SO long as the Knight continued in this pestilent Palace of Worldly Desire following his own Fantasie by Vain Voluptuousness enticed he did no other thing but play the tool Dance Leap Sing Eat Drink Hawk Hunt Fish hunt Whores and such like as did the Prodigal Son and lead a dissolutè life for the space of eleven dayes which signifies a marvellous mystery and unfortunate For the Number Eleven by the Opinion of Christian Doctors and Philosophers is a wicked and unlucky number for that the number ten signifies the ten Commandements of God the number of Eleven which is one more prophesieth and sore-telleth the transgression of them Wherefore the Knight having remained eleven dayes in the Palace grievously transgressing the will of God letting loose the bridle of his own affections without refraining any of them if you note well the premises and see into the senuel you shall find that such as live after the order of the Palace of worldly Felicity being given to follow the pomp and Pride of the World with the Pleasures and Voluptuousness of the same and seem willing to lead that life without purpose of change nay rather triumphing and rejoycing therein I say truly that such are Transgressors of Gods Lawes Contrariwise such as account themselves here to he but Pilgrims and fix their affection on the other World where Iesus Christ raigneth in glory reputing this life an exile and destring to be delivered out of it to the end they may enter in at the Pallace of the heavenly King shall enjoy the fulness and happiness thereof As this World yields a great deal of Temporal goods and Transitory Honour so doth it also make an end of them Now these that use these gifts to the glory of God are Gods people Contrariwise those that do use them voluptuously are Vessels of the Devil and transgressours of the Lawes of God as may appear by the Ten Commandements which I have set down for that purpose Wherein all Worldlings may perceive that by living voluptuously they grievously transgress Gods Laws to their own destruction And as the Ten Commandements were written in two Tables even so are they divided into two parts The first comprehends four concerning the Love of God The second six touching the love of your Neighbour And therefore who so loseth his Life Worldling-like and fixeth his Felicity in Voluptuousness is doubtless a Vessel of the Devil and loveth not God nor his Neighbour because he transgresseth the Law of God which followeth in due and convenient order I Am the Lord thy God thou shalt have none other Gods but me 2. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image nor the likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above nor in the Earth beneath nor in the Water under the Earth Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them For I the Load thy God am a jealous God and vifit the Sins of the Fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me and shew mercy unto thousands in them that love me and keep my commandements 3. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in Vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in Vain 4. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day six dayes shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt do no manner of work thou and thy Son and thy Daughter thy Man servant thy Maid servant thy cattel and the stranger that is within thy Gates for in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that therein is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it 5. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee 6. Thou shalt do no murther 7. Thou shalt not commit Adultery 8. Thou shalt not steal 9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour 10. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours House thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife nor his servant nor his Maid nor his Ox nor his Ass nor any thing that is his This is the Law of God by which you may perceive that such as live in the Pallace of Worldly Voluptuousness are Transgressours of the same Contrariwise such as seek for Heavenly Felicity are Gods beloved and they shall have the possession thereof Now hearken what hapned unto the Knight having lived eleven dayes in the Pallace of Vain and worldly Felicity CAP. XIII The Knight rode to recreate himself and view the warrens and Forrests which were about the pallace of worldly Felicity anon he saw it sink suddenly into the Earth and perceived himself fast in the mire up to the saddle AFter I had sojourned eleven dayes in the Pallace transgressing Gods Commandements and leading a beastly life I desired to ride into the Forrests thereabouts not intending to give over my Voluptuous life but for my pleasure because I was weary of making good chear For although Worldlings delight to eat drink dance leap sing ride run and such like yet notwithstanding they cannot continue in this trade of Life without intermingling it with some other recreation wherefore they often leave by constraint their pastimes though they intend to return thereto again They do not utterly abandon them but break off for a season to procure them better appetite I then being weary was willing to see the Warrens and other pleasures which when my governess Folly understood she told the same to Lady Voluptuousness and she consented to Hunt or Hawk with me whereof I was right glad Then I apparelled my self in Hunters guise instead of my Helmet a Hat full of Feathers for mine Armour an Horn and I leapt upon Temerity my Horse Voluptuousness had a Hobby Folly a Ienner and the other Ladies every one of them a Palfrey There came the Huntsmen with Grey-hounds and Mastives hooping hollowing and galloping together some one way some another The dogs were at a beck up starts the Hare the cry was pleasant to hear But in the midst of all our pastime I chanced to breathe my Horse and turning towards the Palace of Worldly Felicity suddenly I saw it stuk into the Earth and every Body therein But what lamentable Out-cries they made you that have reason are to judge then did there arise amongst us a Whirl-wind with an Earth-quake which set us all asunder in so much that I and my Horse sunk in mire up to the Saddle all this while my mistress Folly
It is an easie matter for a Man of himself to fall into Hell but it is impossible for him to get out again unless by the help of Gods Grace I term him to be in Hell who lives in continuall wickedness committing Sin with delight For if he dye in that Estate Hell is his reward but in this lise if he repent there is hope of Salvation For by Gods Grace he may be comforted and delivered Therefore Man of himself falleth into Perdition but without Gods Grace he cannot rise up again God therefore seeing his Creature given to all Vanity led with Ambition of Worldly honour and not ceasing his sinfull Life oftentimes sends Adversity Diseases Dishonours and confusion in the World to make him humble and so open the eyes of Reason which Voluptuousness had shut up whereby he may come to the knowledge of his Sins and confess the same to God All this is figured in the Gospel where our Lord Iesus raised the Widdowes Child which was carryed out of the City of Naim to be buryed he commanded the Bearers to stay and having touched the Cossin of the Corps with a loud Voice he said Young man arise and straight way the dead body rose up and spake Which done the Lord delivered him to his sorrowfull Mother The mourning Mother mystically represents the Church lamenting for her dead Children to wit Wicked Worldlings and Voluptuous Christians which are worse than dead Corses The Widdowes child representeth souls dead in Sin The Coffin representeth the naturall body wherein lyeth the sinfull Soul The four Bearers carrying the dead Soul to Hell represent hope of long life custome of sinning delaying of repentance and contempt of Gods words Nevertheless when our Lord will raise to life this dead Soul he commandeth the Bearers to stay afterwards toucheth the Body sending upon Sinners Adversity Diseases and Misfortunes but all that sufficeth not unless the Lord say unto the Soul Soul I say unto thee arise Do not we see oftentimes People visited with afflictions murmur against God cursing him that afflicted them These by impatiency being unable to arise of themselves is it not necessary that God say to the soul Arise There is no difference between his saying and doing for what he saith he doth And therefore if the Lord say once Arise to the Soul she ariseth and then he delivereth her to her Mother the Church which was sorrowfull for her sins In like manner God to raise me from my Sins sendeth Adversity to the end I should acknowledg mine iniquity and with humility turn unto him which I cannot do without his Heavenly grace much less atchieve true Felicity and Blessedness unless he help Then was I warned by the scourges of God that living Worldling like and following Voluptuousness I was not happy but unhappy being full of filthiness and infection tumbling in the mire of all iniquity from the which I could not withdraw my self for that the eyes of Reason were closed up by Voluptuousness which afterwards were opened by Gods grace To see the pitious Estate wherein I was and the Vnderstanding which Folly bad darkned made me the wofullest wretch in the World neverthelesse when I was whipped with Adversity I perceived my knowledg somewhat cleared and lightned so that I found in Conscience that I had accustomed my self greatly to unhonest things and when I saw the sequel that there was no retiring of my self without Gods grace I lifted mine eyes to Heaven and wringing my hands all ashamed and confounded I lamented with a loud boyce and humbling my self before the Face of God whom I had grievously effended I made my moan saying O Lord God Father and Maker of all things I am not worthy to lift up mine eyes towards thee nor to ask pardon for those infinite Sins whereof I confess my self guilty Nevertheless O God of all goodness and Father of mercy I beseech thee not to punish me in thy great rage nor to condemn me among the Reprobates I acknowledge my evill and crave pardon for my misdeeds my former life displeaseth me greatly and my heart quaketh for fear of thy Judgments O God forsake not thy Creature which is a sinner but aid and assist me with thy Heavenly grace whereof if I may taste the Vertue I shall need none other Succour O grant this for the glory of thy great Name and for the love of thy dear Son Jesus Christ to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all Honour and glory for ever and ever Amen As I was thus praying with a willing mind shedding tears striking my breast conceiving sorrow for my Sins suddenly I saw a Lady descending down from Heaven setting her self before me fast by the Bog where I stuck fast This Lady was of a Marbellous Majesty and Wonderfull Courteous she appeared to me in a Garment of White Satten a Cloak of blew Damask imbroydered with Gold Her face shined like the Sun so that I was amazed at so sudden a Vision not knowing what she was yet I took heart a grace supposing some help came from Heaven to draw me out of the Bog wherein I lay In the end with all reverence I made my Petition unto her saying O good and gracious Lady whatsoever thou be I most humbly beseech thee if thou canst that it would please thee to help me out of this beastly Bog of filthy infection For nothing is near me but Venemous Serpents and noysome Vermine In the name of God therefore I crave thy help To the which my request she answered O Fool thou seest now what reward Voluptuousness yieldeth thee for following her If thou hadst believed my daughter thou hadst not been in this misery Then I asked her who was that Daughter of hers She answered the Gentlewoman which admonished thee eleven dayes past to leave Voluptuousness and to follow her whom because thou believedst not but neglectedst her Counsell thou liest in this unhappinesse By this speech of hers I knew she was Gods grace and the mother of Vertue Then fell I on my knees and Weeping thus I said O dear Lady my cursed Counsellour Folly drew me from thy Daughter and I most unhappy wretch believed her which deed of mine grieves me and now I cry thee mercy most humbly desiring thee of thy clemency to deliver me out of this filthy mire to follow thee For although I deserve Damnation for my misdeeds yet thou being by nature mercifull wilt spare me Gods grace hearing this my Lamentation of her mercy stretched forth a Golden Rod and commanded me to lay my hands upon it which when I did I rose from my Saddle and so was out of the Bog where I left Temerity my Horse and Folly my Governess to fish for Frogs Thus you see that Gods Grace draweth us from sin without any merit of ours howbeit not without an inward heart-grief and sorrow for sin which is a special gift of Gods grace CAP. II. Gods grace sheweth Hell unto the Knight with
Schoole Then Repentance said unto me Son thou must enter in at this Streight hole whereout I came But when I complained and said that it was unpossible because my Head would not in she said there was no other way or entrance into her Schoole Then I called to mind what our Lord had said in the Gospel of Mathew The way is streight which leadeth to everlasting life and very few walk that way Now as I stood Wondring at the narrow hole I saw an old Serpent enter in who for lack of room left his Skin behind him and presently returned all renewed and young Whereat as I marbelled Gods Grace told me saying Thus thou must do For in entring the Schoole of Repentance thou must leave thy old Skin behind thee and afterwards thou shalt return a new Man This is it which the Apostle speaketh of saying Put off the old Man according to the first conbersation corrupted with ill thoughts and put on the new Man which is to be created according to God in justice holinesse and truth The Old Man is the affections of Sin and the former evill life which is left behind in the Schoole of Repentance and the new Man is the good life which is newly begun in holiness and truth As Gods grace was thus teaching me I saw an Old Eagle heavy-eyed and thick featherd fluttering aloft This Eagle falling down dived three times into a fair fountain thereabouts and presently returned young and lusty which Miracle made me marvail more then that of the Serpent Then said Gods grace as the Eagle is renewed from the Fountain of water young and lusty so shalt thou after thou comest to Christ with sorrow for thy sin and consession of the same which if thou do thou shalt receive thy first innocency which I gave thee in thy Baptism Then Gods grace entred into the Schoole of Repentance before me saying I will draw thee in for it is none but I that sheweth Sinners the way of Repentance With that she pluckt me in and sorthwith I became an enemy to Sin Now therefore let no Man glorine himself seeing it is Gods Grace that goeth before Mans will and that by its means is made good Then I eutring in after and being a little way in the passage waxed wider Gods grace plucking me in by the head and Repentance thrusting at my feet So then in passing in at the narrow place I left Lasciviousness my Shirt behind me torne in pieces which she hurled into the Dungeon and all my body was scratched Thus doth Repentance prepare her Scholars for if any mouth will consess his former sins not having inward sorrow and heart-grief for offending God and full purpose to amend his life he is greatly deceived For thinking to have Gods blessing he shall be sure of cursing But to my purpose Repentance put on my naked body such Apparel as she her self did wear which when I saw I thought upon the Apostles not that I thought my self as good as they but hoping to come by Gods grace to the place where they are I was well content to do as they did CAP. IV. How true Repentance begins in us and how the Knights conscience accused him what pains he had deserved IT is true that Repentance as it ought cannot be done without special grace from God For the heart of sinfull men cannot change her disordinate life nor turn from their offences nor prepare themselves to God without the fingular operation of Gods grace The Doctors dispute daily whether true Repentance taketh her beginning at love or at sear This question cannot be decided in few words but to be short I say it may begin at both For true Repentance being a work of God he may bring it as he list But when it comes from love it is not ordinary or common but Marvellous Look upon the conversion of Saint Paul of Saint Mathew and the Thiefe But ordinarily God begins Repentance in us by fear as in the third Book of the Kings when be commanded Elias to come out of his Cave to remain in the Mount before the Lord and a mighty strong Wind passed by and rent the high Hills and ragged Rocks before the Lord but the Lord was not in the Wind After that came an Earth-quake but the Lord was not in the Earth-quake After that came a Fire but the Lord was not in the Fire After that came a soft Wind wherein the Lord was In such sort Gods sends to Sinners a Wind of Terrour to break the mighty Mountain of Pride and the heart more hard than the Rock after that comes the troubling of the Soul after that comes the Conscience grudging the heart of the finner and accusing him of his evill Life but yet the Lord is not there with his quickning grace Neverthelese these be forerunners to prepare the way of the Lord. For when the perverse Will of Man is mortified by servile fear and led almost to Hell after comes the sweet sound of Gods grace which reviveth the Soul saying Lazarus come forth This is the voice that giveth Consolation at the hearing whereof we may be bold to depart in peace with assurance of remission of our sins But it seems that Repentance began first in the Knight at Love and that miraculously for he being in the Filth of Sin suddenly by Gods Providence confessed his folly and loathing his lewd life he required help and succour at Gods grace who presently assisted him and brought him out of the sink of sin But this manner of conversion is not ordinarily used There are indeed certain fore-runners to the justifying of sinners which prepare the way to Gods reviving or quickning grace and offereth unto God a renewed Spirit and a pure and upright heart which manner of conversion Godly People only do use And hereof meaneth the Knight to speak purposing also to shew how it digresseth from Gods grace When Repentance had thus apparelled me with Hair and Sack-cloath I was set upon a Stoole and then Gods grace appeared unto me with two Women and one Man which was a Preacher Now one of the Women held in her right hand a sharp pricking Iron rod called the gnawing of the Conscience in her lest hand she had a red Book whereat I was afraid For as she beheld me me thought she threatned me The other Woman was Courteous and Milde and gentle holding in her right hand a Book of Gold covered with Pearls and she was called Remembrance Gods grace placed Conscience on my left hand and Remembrance on my right hand the Preacher repentance and the Damsels about me and then commanded Conscience to open the red Book which when I perceived and saw the Words Written with blood declaring all my offences with Torments unto them belonging for my following of Folly I was amazed and became speechless Then Conscience with her Iron rod teucht me prickt me yea pierced my heart and cryed aloud unto me saying Behold thou Wretch view this
Book and thou shalt see how thou hast lived even against God and contrary to right and reason Thou hast been Proud Arrogant ambitious spitefull at others prosperity a prolonger of time Wrathfull a Backbiter injurious Trayterous hatefull Covetous of Gold more than of God Gluttouous Wanton Shameless a stewes-hunter given to all vices and hast transgressed all the commandements of God leading a loathsome life denying God swearing and blaspheming his name an haynous effender a false Witness bearer a lyar a desirer of other Mens goods disobedient to Parents cursing them and wishing their death Furthermore thou hadst neisher Faith nor hope in God but rather in the force riches honour and friendship of thy kindred with their Authority I cannot reckon up the rest of thy Sins for they are uncountable Very little care hast thou had of Christs merits or of thy own souls health but alwayes yielding to Voluptuousness filthiness and iniquity When Conscience had thus accused me Sorow for Sin sell bitterly aweeping and oftentimes struck her breast Then Conscience shewed me what Torments I had deserved for following Voluptuous affections and for loving them better then God Thou oughtest said she to burn in Hell fire that never quencheth and to be nipped with Torments both of Body and Soul for evermore Thy laughing shall be turned to Weeping the Ioy to Sorrow thy Songs to Cries yea what pains can be named but thou art like perpetually to suffer them without hope of Redemption For this is the due reward of Worldly Felicity and following Folly Be think thee now and tell me if it be in thy power to rid thee from these grievances Hearing my Conscience thus speak me thought I saw Hell open to swallow me up and with sorrowfull sadness I fell to the ground before Gods grace speechless but she had Compassion on me and bade me arise the which I did though half in despair and to re-comfort me she opened the book which Remembrance held in her hand CAP. V. By the Commandements of Gods grace remembrance read to me the goodness of God with his promises made to repen tant sinners AFter Remembrance had opened her Book I perceived the Letters were Gold and Azure containing the great goodness and infinire mercy of God so repentant Sinners with fair promises annexed thereunto Then at the commandment of Gods grace remembrance read out of that book unto me in this manner Saint Paul Writing to the Romans saith Where Sin hath abounded grace hath more abounded He that mistrusteth the mercy of God mistrusteth God to be mercifull and in so doing he doth God great dishonour For he denyeth God to be Love and power wherein consisteth all the hope of poor Sinners For of his great love he sent his only Son to take Mans Nature upon him in this World that in the same he might suffer death upon the Cross for the remission of Sins Consequently he promised for the love of his Son Remission and Pardon to all Poor Sinners so often as they desired it in Faith with an heavy and sorrowfull Heart Now God is as true of his Promises as he is of Power able to perform them And as he is of Power so will he do whatsoever pleaseth him God will pardon Sinners their Sins who then can let him from doing it To whom God pleaseth or hath promised to pardon their Sins he forgiveth The truth hereof is Written in plain Words and shewed by examples in many places of the holy Scripture as well in the Old Testament as the New First Esay saith It is I my self It is I my self that doth blot out thine iniquities for mine own love sake and I will not have thy sins in remembrance For the love of me saith he and not for the love of thee meaning his goodness and mercy and not for the love of thy merits As if he had said to all sinners in this sort If thou thinkest that I pardon thy Sins for thy merits sake thou art deceived and Wallowest in despair no no but for my mercy and infinite goodness I remit and forgive Thou hast no cause to despair for the least part of my mercy exceedeth all thy Sins In another place he saith by the same Prophet Turn your selves unto me all the Earth and you shall be saved for I am God and there is none other besides me What is the meaning of these Words I am God any thing else but that God is good and mercifull If it be unpossible but he should be God it is unpossible but he should be good and mercifull The same Prophet speaketh unto every one of us saying Let the Infidell leave his wayes and the unjust Man his thoughts let them turn to the Lord and he will have pitty upon him for he is ready to forgive And by the Prophet Jeremy he saith to the People of Israel that he was wroth for their Idolatry and many other Sins nevertheless he said Turn Israel thou Rebell unto me thy Lord and I will not turn my face from thee or as the Hebrew Text saith I will not lay mine ire upon thee for I am saith the Lord holy and gentle and keep not mine anger for ever And by the Prophet Ezechiel he saith If the evill Man repent him of his Sins and keep my Commandements doing righteously he shall live and not dye neither will I have his former offences any more in remembrance Do you think saith the Lord that I delight in the death of a Sinner nay rather that he should turn from his Wickedness and live Repent you then and you shall live The Prophet David said That from morning till night Israel hoped in the Lord what doth this signifie but that the faithfull from their Nativity and Birth untill their very Death have hope in the Lord There is mercy in the Lord and great Redemption attendeth upon him In Joel it is Written Turn your selves unto the Lord with all your heart in Fasting Praying Weeping Sorrow tearing your hearts and not your Garments so shall you be turned unto the Lord your God for he is full of Clemency Mercy and Grace slow to ire and ready to forgive or as the Hebrew Text saith such a one as repents him of evill that is to say is leath to execute the punishment upon Sinners which he hath denounced and threatned Micheas the Prophet saith What God is there like unto thee which takest away iniquities and forgivest Sins for the rest of thine Heritage sake He keepeth not his ire for ever but of his compassion and mercy will have pitty upon us He will put out our iniquities and throw all our Sins into the bottom of the Sea What Sinner is there that hearing these words hath so heavy a heart as to despair seeing that God is more ready to forgive than the Sinner is to ask forgiveness Now let us come to the New Testament to try if there be not Testimenies to the same effect The Son of God which is
point to decipher it for it consisteth not in Angelical knowledge much less in mans wit wholly to comprehend so noble a mystery none knows it but he who hath proved it you may be sure that there are not as in the Palace of Worldly pleasure chambers hanged with Silk Tapestry and every corner sumptuously and superfluously adorned No no but there were Histories of the Old and New Testament to view and mark I found not their Coffers full of Gold and Silver Cup-boards of Plate Presses of Silks all manner of Mercery-ware neither dainty Dishes delicate Drinks bawdy Songs wanton Musick the Lady of Love her Son Cupid nor any thing that Worldlings imbrace but I found a thing far supassing all that is in the World This good this joyfull this comfortable this unspeakable this incomprehensible-thing cannot be named worthily enough but of good and bad he is called God even he who is the only Soveraign good above all things reasonable and unreasonable Peradventure you will say this is stoange news that you Sir Knight should see God in the Palace of Vertue How is it strange seeing he is every where not only in Heaven but also in Earth and in Hell Truly I confess that God is every where but I deny him to dwell every where and yet I know that by his power and invincible presence he is every where though not every where by the fulness of his greatness and his gifts it followes then that he dwelleth every where I pray you what profiteth it the damned that he is in hell by his power Iustice and Vengeance Truly by such presence of God they have no joy no consolation no benefit or selicity for that all are cursed in whom God dwelleth not by his grace whatsoever they be be they Kings Princes or Popes who have all other riches and delights in the World But all they that have the grace of God are happy or at least wise in hope though they live even in a loathsome prison and are poorer than Lazarus which desired to be refreshed with the crums that fell from the evil rich Mans Table Now when we pray to God we say Our Father which art in Heaven for that is the place where God gives the enjoying and possession of himself to his elect and that is their dwelling prepared by the grace of God That is that God speaks of by the Prophet Esay saying Heaven is my seat and the Earth is my foot-stoole For asmuch saith God as I dwell in mine Elect by Grace I will tumble at my feet those that love Voluptuousness rather then their Maker In the book of Wisdom it is written That the seat of wisdom is in the soul of the just God is wisdom and the just soul his seat God is in every place where he dwelleth but he dwelleth not in every place where he is This is most true though marvellous for the evil are alwayes where God is but yet God dwelleth not in them Wheresoever the wicked are they cannot hide themselves from God and yet they are not dwellers with God nor God a dweller with them They are where God is as the blind man in the Light of the Sun the Light is not in him because he hath not the use of it But the good are alwayes with God and God dwelleth in them as in his Temple Saint Paul saith That the temple of God is holy And therefore is ye live well as he commands you you are his Temple And God himself saith I will be in them I will walk amongst them I will be their God and they shall be my people Now therefore you see that although God be every where in his power yet he dwelleth no where but where he is by grace It is plain that where Vertue is there God inhabiteth by grace which is the only consolation of all reasonable Creatures Is it possible that any Man can find in Heaven or in Earth such Soveraign good as is in God who is the most excellentest and chiefest good and the true joy of all reasonable Creatures Now can that body fail in any goodness which hath God by his Grace resting in his Heart who is the only Authour of all goodness and the giver of all true Ioy and persect Felicity But some will say that they see good People in the World oftentimes suffer misery deprived of their goods and put by the pleasures of this world which appeareth in the sadness of their countenance for they seem to be conceived with sorrow and as it were to labour and travel in heaviness as a Woman in Child birth I confess it to be so but yet if you say that they are not surnished with all good and true joy and Felicity you err greatly For the Soveraign good which is God dwels in the just soul for evermore although foolish Worldings say in their Hearts and thoughts Can it be that those miserable men which are afflicted with poverty or imprisonment have more possession of true Felicity than we that wallow in Wealth and are without want of any Worldly pleasures But they consider not that true Ioy consisteth in the Soul But be you sure that as the Soul is the most precious part of the body so ought the goodness of the Soul to be greater than the goodness of the body The Ioy of the Iust and Righteous is more inward than outward for all his goodness is in the soul as the joy of wanton Worldlings is outwardly in the body This just Man suffereth outward extremities but yet inwardly he hath more joy than the Voluptuous Man And though the just man being alwayes afflicted maketh shew of sadness all his life time yet at the hour of death their joy and consolation appeareth with hope of eternal life whereas contrariwise the Wordling goeth his way with grudging and despair The just man esteems Gold and Silver to be coloured Earth worldly wealth and Voluptuous seeding to be Famine and Filth Honour Dignity and Delight to be smoak which the Air consumeth suddenly to be short he maketh all the World no better than an exile and although his body be detained here for a season yet all his thoughts cares desires and meditations are conversant among the Orders of holy Angels and the happy Assembly of Saints in Heaven singing Psalms and Prayses incessantly So that whatsoever we esteem evill in this World God turns it to good For he makes us rejoyce in Tribulations taking them for medicines to purge our corruptions and not accounting our Persecutors as our Enemies but rather as Helpers to salvation The just Man esteems simple fare sufficing nature better than abundance of delicate or excessive Drunkenness or Gluttony They take more pleasure in kneeling praying and fasting then worldlings do in dancing and singing wanton Songs Finally that they do or suffer God turns it to good And therefore Saint Paul saith that all things turn to the good of those that love God The eye never seeth the
and abilities in Man inward only but not outward that is to say a perfect affection of the soul which God precureth in man and not Man in himself For although such motions seem to be motions of free-will yet they cannot be such except God vauchsafe of his working Grace to sanctifie the will and to make it capable of such good affections These two Opinions recited by the Master of the Sentences in the second Book and 27 Distinction I refer to the Iudgment of the Reader and allow them so far forth as they both agree that Vertue is a work of God in Man and not of Man in himself But yet they differ because the first sayes that Vertue is not a moving of the Soul for that it is the only working of God without Man and of meer Grace the other Opinion saith that Vertue is a good motion of Man not coming of God in Man I dare not judge rashly in so High and secret a Mystery and therefore I appeal to the determination of the Learned It sufficeth to know that Vertue is a work of God in Man and not of Man in himself and in this point as both Opinions do consent so I approve them to be true CAP III The Description of Faith and how we ought to believe in God for our salvation FAith is a Vertue whereby we believe that which we see not When it is said that Faith is a Vertue it is most manifest that faith is the pure gift of God whereby we believe that which we see not But yet it followeth not that we should believe all that we hear and see not but this is meant only in things touching Religion and the Worshipping of God Faith is properly of things not apparent for apparent things have no Faith but a certain Demonstration as when our Lord saith to Thomas Because thou hast seen thou believest Yet Thomas believed more than he saw a Man and he believed that the same Man was God also which he saw not for he said Thou art my God and my Lord. In this consisteth the merit of Faith when a man at the Commandement of God believeth that thing which he seeth not To believe saith Saint Austin is to think upon a thing with consent to that thought as when thou thinkest the Son of God was born of a Virgin and toah mans nature upon him and consentest to that Thought it is properly called Beliefe This thought may come often by seeing and often by hearing And when Saint Paul saith that faith cometh by hearing of the word of God he understands that by hearing faith comes into the mind and thought if we consent thereunto For we may hear a Preacher without consenting to that he saith because men do not alwayes believe what the Preacher speaketh for that the consent wherein consisteth the perfection of Faith comes of the meer gift of God and not from seeing nor hearing but from the light of Grace speaking in the Soul of the Believer believing the principal truth which is God and working in him an agreement with that Soveraign truth above all other things So that Faith is a foundation unmovable our Lord Iesus Christ who is the only Foundation of true Blessedness dwelleth in the Hearts of the Believers and so long as Faith is in Man he shall be sure not to perish but faith without Charity is no Foundation because such Faith is in vain and unprofitable Faith then joyned with Love or Charity belongs to good Christians and Faith without Love belongs to evill Christians It is necessary therefore that we note the difference in these three sayings or speeches namely To believe a God To believe of God To believe in God To believe a God is to believe that he is the only true God so the Devils do believe as well as the evill Christians To believe of God is to believe that all is true which God saith and so believe the evill Christians as well as the good unless they be Hereticks But to believe in God is to love God and in believing to joyn thy self to God by love and obedience incorporating thee with His Members that is to say his Church This Faith justisteth the Sinner and this Faith being knit with Love and with Charity begins to do good deeds which cannot be done without Love The Faith which evill Christians have is indeed a quality of free will but it is not knit with Love and Charity which is the bond of perfection and the life of faith as Faith is the Life of the Soul And yet such an unshapen Faith being naked and Void of Charity may be termed a gift of God for that the evill man may have some gift of God but that cannot properly be called Vertue because that by Vertue we learn to live rightly and for that the Devils and Evill Christians do live wickedly it is a sign that the faith which they have is dead and therefore is not properly Vertue nor yet a work of Vertue If thou wilt then have thy Faith to be good and saving it must have four properties that is to say it must be plain and simple it must be whole and sound it must be constant and unmovable it must be quick and lively Touching the first that it must be plain and simple that teacheth thee thus much in effect that thou must believe the word of God simply and whatsoever is therein contained without inquiring into Gods mystical matters by humane Reasons and simply believing in thy heart that every thing contained in the holy bible is most true Secondly thy Faith must be whole and sound that is thou must not take part with Hereticks or cleave to the erronious Opinions of the Enemies of Gods truth for this is no good faith And therefore for a Testimony of thy Faith be not ashamed to make open Confession in the Congregation of thy belief with the Fellowship and Communion of Saints That thou believest in God the Creator and Governour of all things in his Son Iesus Christ the Redeemer and in the holy Ghest by which we are sanctified and receive true comsort and joy c. according as it is declared in his holy word Thirdly it must be constant and unmovable that is without doubting for any reason of Mans brain that seemeth contrary or for any temptation promise or threatnings either of torment or of death And let not the obstinacy of such as enchant with the vain pleasures of this life although they seem to live most joyfully allure thee to cleave to their opinion which is siat heresie for that is a work of Satans who wholly possesses them can change himself into an Angel of light to deceive the simple and innocent whom God permits to be tempted for the tryal of their constancy Not that he is ignorant of the issue but because he would have it appear in others that he crownes us with glory for our constancy and perseverance This is clearly
which the Prophet speaketh saying Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and contrariwise happy is the man that trusteth in God We ought alwayes to do well to delight in well-doing and to hope in the goodness of God that he will give us that which he hath promised But this Hope ought to be firm and as an Anchor constantly to hold thy conscience that by the floating of temptation it move not But some will ask by what testimony or witness can the conscience rest assured of remission of sins of Gods adoption and of Heavenly blessedness I answer S. John Epist 1 chap. 5. saith There be three things that bear witness in Earth that is the Spirit Water and Blood These three testifie unto the spirit of the believing Man that Christ is the infallible truth who fulfilleth in the believing man the whole sum of his promises The first witness then that assureth man in Hope is the precious bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ which was shed for the remissien of our sins The second witness is the water of Baptism by the which also our sins are forgiven But these two witnesses put not the conscience in full and perfect Hope and Assurance And therefore there must be annexed unto them a third which third is The holy Spirit which beareth witness with our spirit that we are the Sons and Heirs of God Who so hath not this witness he cannot be assured of his Salvation The works of the holy Spirit in Man if thou ask me what those works are I answer thee that they are these that follow and such like namely Sorrow for sin hatred of all things which displease God and are contrary to his Commandements taking pleasure to read and hear Gods word mourning for thy imperfections and sure Faith Hope and Charity and effection desire intent and purpose to love God above all things and to do thy endeavour to fulfill his Commandements For all these things spring not from the corrupt nature of man unless his Heart be moystened with the dew of Gods grace without the which we feel not in our selves any good affections nor desire to do good works which are signs of the presence of the holy Chest in us Wherefore we ought with sighing to pray unto God and to beseech him most humbly that it would please him of his unspeakable pity to send us his holy Spirit which may assure us of the remission of our sins to Vouchsafe us his heavenly Adoption and the enjoying of everlasting Blessedness And thus much concerning Hope New let us speak of Love or Charity CAP. V. The Description of Love or Charity and how we ought to love God and our Neighbour CHarity is a Vertue by the which God is loved for the love of himself and our neighbour for the love of God or in God It is said in the first part of this Desinition that Charity is a Vertue Let us see how certainly Charity in the excellentest vertue that is even the mother and nurse of all the rest For he that hath not charity hath nothing in him to obtain everlasting life This Charity is given when the holy Spirit it is given For the holy Spirit being resident in the Soul makes us to love God for the love of himself and our Neighbour for the love of God To love God for the love of himself is to love him for his own sake and because he is God And that is to be done three wayes that is to love God above all things entirely above all things orderly above all things preciously We will declare these three wayes of loving God the more plainly that every one may know how to love God To love God intirely is to have a good will to God and to rejoyce greatly that he is such a one as he is But for the better understanding hereof it shall not be amiss to shew what it is to love to love is nothing else but to wish well to every body as when I love a man I wish as well to him as to my self Now there are two manners of love One is called the cobetous love as when a Man loves any thing for his own profit sake in such sort men love their horses their victuals and all other worldly necessaries The 〈…〉 the love of friendship when one loves a thing for the love of it self without respect of particular profit as when I see a man wise I take pleasure in him and wish that the Vertues which are in him may not only be continued but also encreased in him and this do I being to him well affectionated and loving him with delight There is not in God and good that is not like himself For his might or Power his Wisdom his Mercy his Iustice and his knowledge are Heavenly as he himself is who is all wise all just all mercy all knowledge and all mighty So that we love God above all things intirely when we rejoyce and be glad that he is as he is without regarding our proper profit or honour Thou oughtest not to love God with a covetous love that is thou must not love God only because he gives thee all things profitable for thee or in so doing thou lovest thy self better then thou lovest God If thou love God rightly he will reward thee greatly but this love must be single and it must be pure and not depending upon any other thing for who so loveth God for gain loveth him but as his Horse in whom he delights because he serves his turn God ought to be loved lovingly without respect of particular profit But then maist ask me a question May I not love God to this end and under this condition that he may give me Heaven which is the principallest thing that Man can wish for after this life the Doctors say no if we consider well of the thing beloved which is God for in so doing thou lovest thy self better then thou lovest God Thou maist come to Heaven by this means as namely by keeping his Commandements by giving Alms and by doing other good deeds and yet give God his due and single love Now these things are not charity it self but the works of Charity We say then that God ought to he loved in doing good deeds and in keeping his commandements but this love ought to be entire without respect of profit or reward To love God orderly above all things is to refer thy self and all thy goods to God so that all which thou lovest wishest dost and leabest undone thou oughtest to love to wish to doe and leave undone for the love of God and his glory Thus referring all to the Honour and Glory of God thou lovest God above all things ordarly and accomplishest as much as in thee lyeth what is written in Deut. and in Saint Mathew where it is said Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul and with all thy strength For what other